I’ve been told on more than one occasion that I am terrible at sharing. With a crapload of younger siblings, a husband and two kids, I’m used to sharing the little stuff like clothes, books, movies, a house…
It’s the bigger things that I struggle with. Things that are not materialistic, like my thoughts, feelings and personal struggles. And with a world revolving around social media where we can type out/snap/catalog every aspect of our lives with just a few finger movements, I seem to hide as much as possible.
Sarah pointed out to me recently that I, um, do not share at all. Thinking about this, I realized my recent hibernation sure does make writing a blog damn difficult. Which explains why I’ve made 3 posts in 2 months. I seemed to have fizzled out a bit lately. What’s worse, I’ve barely been able to keep up with the other bloggers that I truly enjoy reading.
It’s time I make a change. Or lots of them. And maybe share a little with you on what has already changed in my little bubble.
Back in April, my little family was dealt a hit. It was a shocking blow. One we are still trying to recover from.
It created a domino effect, one piece toppled and soon enough shit came crashing down around us. It happens. We are picking the pieces up, one by one, and rearranging them in a different order. It’s scary as hell, but scary isn’t always a bad thing.
It left us with the wide open question of, What do we want to do now? We still aren’t 100% sure, but we are dipping our toes in uncharted waters and it will be great! Or bad. Who knows!
What I do know is I start a new job on Monday, and I am in the process of going back to school come fall. Both terrify me to the point of panic. Well, that was enough sharing for one day…
In the mean time, my blog is in dire need of some life breathed back into it, and I have to find a happy balance of this sharing business.
So how do you handle sharing on social media? Let me know in the comments below.
Till next time,
~AJP
For the Love of ... 
Hi. I admire your courage in wanting to share more and I too would like to share more of my day-to-day life with the bloggers that I already feel a bond with and others I hope to encounter along the way.
I have learned a couple of hard lessons about sharing and two of them are sometimes it’s easier with strangers and the other lesson that is closely related with, if not entwined with the first is that, sometimes family are the worst people to share things with.
I believe I wrote a post about this very thing related to Facebook a couple of weeks ago and after that, I’ve been a bit more careful about writing how I truly feel about things going in my personal life on that joke of a social media platform.
So thanks for sharing and I look forward to reading more of your posts.
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Thanks! It’s difficult finding that happy medium on what to share with others, especially when it can be easily seen by the world. I’m lucky with my family, we are pretty close and I am my most comfortable self around them and can say/share anything.
I find talking to strangers to be harder!
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Yes, well, I apologize. 😉 You share whatever you’re comfortable with sharing. That’s how I see it. And you’ve given us enough but not too much. I do hope everything works out and things get better quickly for you and your family. (((Hugs)))
In the meantime, I have the perfect way for you to breathe some life back into your blog. Your nomination for Five Photos, Five Days. 🙂 Just saying.
Your official invite awaits you: https://sarahbrentynflash.wordpress.com/2015/06/15/five-photos-five-stories-day-1/
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Thanks for the hugs, always appreciated! If I shared what I was comfortable with, I’d still be hiding in a box marked Do Not Open… 🙂
Yay, blog life assistance! You always know how to cheer me up and help me out lol!
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Quite honestly, you don’t have to share anything at all. Many bloggers don’t. And if that’s what your comfortable with, that’s what you should do. Or, rather, not do. You know what I mean. Better to not share than to feel pressured and regret posting it. Just write enough to let us know you’re here. And I hope you will do the Five Photos challenge because it’s fun and easy and you can write whatever you want–no oversharing required. 🙂
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I think my biggest issue is the idea that people give a crap about my problems lol. Something comes up, and I’m like who cares?!
The Five photos challenge sounds fun, I’m definitely in, I’ve just got my in-laws in at the moment so I haven’t been able to get on the computer. Thank you for the nomination, the pics I’ve seen from everyone are awesome! I am loving your haiku’s.
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Yes, I know that feeling. Alas, I write. As do many others. Hope you’re enjoying the in-laws visit. Get to the challenge whenever you can. And, thank you. 🙂
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I’ve been telling you for over a year that you haven’t been sharing anything of substance but that’s what you do. You go into your shell and poke your head out only to let people know you’re alive.
I hope you are at least letting someone in so you don’t carry the entire burden within yourself!
Just remember, you have people who love you and support you no matter what! Yes, even neglected best friends!
Much love and hugs!
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Yeah yeah, look, I am just a stubborn kind of turtle. It is my way, but I am working on it. Kind of. Some days. Maybe.
Thank you.
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I know you are, turtle ways are just your ways of coping and anyone who knows you understands that. You’ll find your way back when you have it figured out like always
Until then we will keep talking about whatever it is you need or want to talk about. Even if it’s a conversation about running away to Hogwarts 😀
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I didn’t expect to share anything much when I started, not that I had any particular antipathy to sharing but i knew as night follows day that the Textiliste – aka my spouse – would be very uncomfortable if I shared her. So old photos are ok, an anonymised name passes muster and referencing her charity at the prison is ok but woe betides if I stray beyond that. I put up, what to me, was a fairly neutral picture of our house in Suffolk – no address, you can’t even work out which is ours but it made her uncomfortable so end of. We go on holiday in a few days and I’ve promised to take a blogcation for the 8 night we are away. That will hurt but it will also be good.
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You are a much better sharer than I! Your stories are the best – informational, funny AND with great pictures! Even your anonymous family names are brilliant. I’m working on figuring out a comfortable line with my own. My husband and son aren’t big fans me telling too many stories about them, which makes writing about my life 1/2 difficult!!!
A blogcation for 8 days, you’ll be bursting at the seems when you log back on! But I bet you will have a great post for when you get back. Have fun!
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Sometimes I find it hard to share in the moment that the hard thing is happening. But as I’m processing, I write. And then I hope that my pain has the purpose of helping someone else, otherwise what will be the point? Sharing is hard but as a writer, you must! You have an important story to tell, I hope you will be able to someday:) Hugs and kudos on new chapters!
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Thank you! When things are difficult, I tend to shut down until it passes or gets better. I’m always afraid I’ll end up ranting like a crazed person and no body wants that lol. But you are right, writing the hard stuff down is a must. Life is not always peachy, who’d want that a way?!
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And think of the wisdom you gain from going through it that you’ll be able to pass onto the rest of us! I hope things get better for you and your family soon though:)
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I hear you. I’m the same way. It frustrates a lot of people because I can carry on a conversation without giving away anything personal. But I always seem to have others spilling their guts to me. Weird.
Also, I have a problem with sharing materialistic things. I’m possessive that way.
Yeah, so if you’re were wondering way I’m still single, reread this comment. 🙂
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Sharing stuff is hard! You do have that personality that makes people want to spill their guts, I’ve seen a little bit of it. It’s because you’re totally likable.
And I can totally see you being possessive with your stuff, tsk tsk lol.
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AJ, I had to laugh because I’m a sharer…I spill the beans and move on. My niece recently posted something on FB about that “vague friend who never shares” and it’s a series of text messages that goes from OMG to all is okay now with undisclosed and mysterious texts in between. 🙂
But in seriousness, it is a choice and ties back to your own goals and branding. My writing journey opened up for me after I attended a week-long Franciscan retreat called Journey of the Writer’s Soul. I recognized that I write sharpest when I write openly and into my truth. I come from a difficult background and the only way to overcome it was to break the secret of it. For those two reasons, I’m all about telling. I try not to be dwelling, though. If I share, it is to communicate, express or process. It is to push though and not linger.
Each writer has to write into his or her own truth, and it doesn’t mean full disclosure if you aren’t comfortable with that. Do what inspires you. Focus on what is right, just and true to you. Honor your writing journey.
And best wishes to you for the new job and hugs for all the quiet suffering you’ve had! No matter what, write on.
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Charli, you are too funny! And I think I am that “vague friend” more days than not. I’m just a private person, not that I am against sharing, I’m just naturally reserved. I am almost positive that it is because both of my parents are such “sharers”. Neither of them have ever met a stranger, and me, the world is full of strangers.
Figuring out branding has been tricky for me. I want my writing to shine, but I think I discredit my abilities too often. I envy your ability to do what you do (envy in a GOOD way!). And you are right, when we drop the walls, I think our writing becomes more true to who we are and what we can do.
Thank you! You are the best.
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Being a private person is both mysterious and a brand! 😉
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You’re genius!!! You should become an agent/writer. I think you’d be killer at it.
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